He needs to be back on the tour, good luck Beloki!
Joseba Beloki is still on the slow road to recovery from his horrific 2003 Tour de France crash, but the Spanish podium contender seems to be ready for what he's calling his "vengeance."
So much so that the Basque rider is considering racing all three grand tours in 2005 as he searches to rediscover the winning formula that put him on the three consecutive Tour podiums 2000-02.
"One of my goals in this comeback year is race as much as I possibly can and that means I am considering racing in all three grand tours and continue right into the world championships, which are going to be held in Madrid," Beloki told the Spanish sports daily MARCA.
Joseba Beloki has ambitious plans for 2005
Beloki made his season debut in his Liberty Seguros jersey in last week's Tour of Langkawi and keeps a busy schedule, hitting the Vuelta a Murcia, Tirreno-Adriatico, Setmana Catalana, Tour de Romandie and the Giro d'Italia.
"After the season I had last year, the thing that most interests me is simply to race. I am convinced that I have recovered completely from my injuries to the leg and elbow, but I have to come back to feel like a bike racer again to return to the level that I had before," Beloki said.
Beloki suffered through a painful, sub-par 2004 season. Just months after signing a big-money contract with Brioches La Boulangere, he broke with the French team under acrimonious situation over a dispute concerning his preferred antihistamine. Beloki said he needed it for chronic allergies; the French team said it bordered on doping.
Saunier Duval picked him up for the remainder of the season, but Beloki limped through the Vuelta a España and never rediscovered his winning legs. Now back under the tutelage of Manolo Saiz, the GM at Liberty Seguros, Beloki figures racing is the best ticket back to the big time.
"My objective from here to the Tour is to race as much as positive to recover the confidence I had in my possibilities and return to the level I had before my fall in 2003," Beloki said.
More of same at Pais Vasco
The Vuelta al Pais Vasco, one of the most demanding early season races on the calendar, returns this year safely inside the ProTour with a course that once again will provide challenger aplenty for anyone tackling the five-day race.
Tucked in northern Spain's Basque Country region, the race will start April 4 in the surf town of Zarautz and end April 8 in Oñati. A summit finish in the second day at the Alto de La Arboleda will be a decisive stage while stage 3 ends in Vitoria and stage 4 in Alsasua.
The final day features a split stage, with a morning road sector with the finale in Arantzazu and an afternoon 9.3km time trial to cap the race. American Bobby Julich (CSC) won last year's time trial in a close race against compatriot Tyler Hamilton.
Joseba Beloki is still on the slow road to recovery from his horrific 2003 Tour de France crash, but the Spanish podium contender seems to be ready for what he's calling his "vengeance."
So much so that the Basque rider is considering racing all three grand tours in 2005 as he searches to rediscover the winning formula that put him on the three consecutive Tour podiums 2000-02.
"One of my goals in this comeback year is race as much as I possibly can and that means I am considering racing in all three grand tours and continue right into the world championships, which are going to be held in Madrid," Beloki told the Spanish sports daily MARCA.
Joseba Beloki has ambitious plans for 2005
Beloki made his season debut in his Liberty Seguros jersey in last week's Tour of Langkawi and keeps a busy schedule, hitting the Vuelta a Murcia, Tirreno-Adriatico, Setmana Catalana, Tour de Romandie and the Giro d'Italia.
"After the season I had last year, the thing that most interests me is simply to race. I am convinced that I have recovered completely from my injuries to the leg and elbow, but I have to come back to feel like a bike racer again to return to the level that I had before," Beloki said.
Beloki suffered through a painful, sub-par 2004 season. Just months after signing a big-money contract with Brioches La Boulangere, he broke with the French team under acrimonious situation over a dispute concerning his preferred antihistamine. Beloki said he needed it for chronic allergies; the French team said it bordered on doping.
Saunier Duval picked him up for the remainder of the season, but Beloki limped through the Vuelta a España and never rediscovered his winning legs. Now back under the tutelage of Manolo Saiz, the GM at Liberty Seguros, Beloki figures racing is the best ticket back to the big time.
"My objective from here to the Tour is to race as much as positive to recover the confidence I had in my possibilities and return to the level I had before my fall in 2003," Beloki said.
More of same at Pais Vasco
The Vuelta al Pais Vasco, one of the most demanding early season races on the calendar, returns this year safely inside the ProTour with a course that once again will provide challenger aplenty for anyone tackling the five-day race.
Tucked in northern Spain's Basque Country region, the race will start April 4 in the surf town of Zarautz and end April 8 in Oñati. A summit finish in the second day at the Alto de La Arboleda will be a decisive stage while stage 3 ends in Vitoria and stage 4 in Alsasua.
The final day features a split stage, with a morning road sector with the finale in Arantzazu and an afternoon 9.3km time trial to cap the race. American Bobby Julich (CSC) won last year's time trial in a close race against compatriot Tyler Hamilton.
I wish she ate beef so she could choke on it.
you wish you could sit on the couch instead of traning?
neaky: